The present invention relates to switching converters, and in particular to bi-directional switching converters. The present invention can be used in automotive as well as industrial applications where a wide DC high voltage range from 100 volts to 450 volts, for example, needs to be converted to a wide DC low voltage range from 7 volts to 16 volts, for example, and vice versa, with galvanic isolation between the two sides.
Classical bi-directional converters are made with multi-stage interleaved buck/boost converters which do not offer galvanic separation between the high voltage and low voltage side and which require substantial heatsink space for the voltage range described and the power range applicable, for example approximately 1500 watts.
Also, classical isolated converters that use transformers do not offer bi-directionality.